Connection devices, vehicle headlights, vehicles and methods for controlling vehicle headlights are essentially extensively known, so that separate documentary evidence is not required in this respect. Modern vehicles have a monitoring device on board the vehicle which monitors a functionality of a connected vehicle headlight, e.g. its lighting means, during the intended operation of the vehicle. A monitoring function of this type is also prescribed in part by the standards, such as, for example ECE R 48 or the like. It is hereby achieved that, on the one hand, a vehicle driver can be informed of the functionality of the respective vehicle headlight or its lighting means and can initiate corresponding measures in the event of faults. In addition, it can be achieved that vehicle headlights which are not operable as intended or whose lighting means generate a message which can automatically initiate further measures, for example deactivation of a lighting means channel assigned to the respective lighting means, in order to be able, for example, to avoid hazardous states or the like.
The monitoring on board the vehicle is configured as adapted for the monitoring of an assigned lighting means. If a defect occurs in a lighting means of this type during intended operation, only a lighting means of identical design can be used for a repair or maintenance. Conversely, if a lighting means with differing, e.g. electrical, characteristics is used, this can be detected by the monitoring device as a fault due to differing electrical characteristics and a corresponding fault message or a corresponding fault signal can be emitted. In addition, in the worst case, the corresponding lighting means channel may even be completely deactivated if this is provided on board the vehicle. Even though the lighting means is intact, the intended lighting function cannot therefore be provided.
A problem of this type may also occur in the event of a modification of a vehicle headlight. If, for example, the monitoring device is configured for the functionality of an incandescent lamp as a lighting means, a connection of an LED-based lighting means, e.g. with and without luminescent material conversion, and/or a laser-diode-based lighting means which is equipped with a wavelength conversion element, for example in the form of a laser-activated remote phosphorus (LARP) light source, causes the monitoring device to determine a defective lighting means due to differing electrical characteristics and to initiate corresponding messages and functions, even though the LED-based and/or the laser-diode-based lighting means is able to provide the intended lighting function. The same applies accordingly also to a vehicle headlight which is equipped with a discharge lamp as the lighting means.
It would of course be possible to adapt the monitoring device of the vehicle accordingly. However, this is often possible only at considerable expense. In addition, this requires an intervention on board the vehicle, e.g. in the monitoring device, which additionally poses risks with regard to warranty. An intervention in the monitoring device is therefore to be avoided wherever possible, even if it could be implemented at reasonable cost.